An interesting fitness trend that I’ve seen popping up in since around 2010, is the idea of betting on yourself to lose weight. Say you want to lose 25 lbs in 6 months. You might bet $200 on the goal and when you accomplish it, you collect $400.
That’s a win-win situation, and will help to hold you more accountable for attaining your goals. Who wouldn’t want to lose weight and gain money, at the same time?!
Don’t get the wrong idea, this is not an industry full of gamblers and junkies – in fact it’s just the opposite! These websites and applications offer a social point for each individual to share his or her progress, they offer camaraderie and inspiration that you may never have had nor felt before. Diet betting communities allow you to connect with like minded folks who are committed to succeeding at the same goals as yourself.
Before you gamble WITH your life, gamble FOR your life. Winners on average lose about ten pounds and double their initial investment. Over 40% of participants usually win something and always lose at least a little weight.
There are even incentives for participants to stay healthy. In some cases you become disqualified if you lose too much weight. Dangerous weight loss behavior is flagged for losing, for example, more than 12% of their body mass in 4 weeks.
Where to Begin
The startup DietBet has the right idea by allowing users to bet they can lose 4% of their body weight in 4 weeks. The social aspect of diet betting tends to be a lot more important than the actual winnings. Groups of users team up, share pics, and encourage others who have the same issues, to eat healthier and to be happier.
If you are feeling particularly greedy you can up the ante. Once you’ve hit your beginner’s goal, you can try your hand at the “transformation” casino, where you need to lose weight faster but you also realize an even greater return on your wager. By now you can tell that these tools are more than just casinos online, they also help us to define our goals and stay accountable for progressions in weight loss.
They Have an App for That
Are you always on the go? If your life is busy and you want to experience the mobile benefits of weight loss gambling, download the app!
Users can still post recipes, encourage their friends, and remain accountable for their goals. It is way easier to post your exercise results in real time, rather than waiting to get home to enter your exercise into a spreadsheet.
Gym Pact also had a great idea. They make you pay if you don’t accomplish your goals, and you need to check in to a fitness location in order to get credit for the workout. There are a whole bunch of other Pacts you can join as well – number of calories consumed, amount of veggies consumed, and so much more.
Try a couple of these ideas if you’re looking for a change. You could just as well end up with money in your pocket and a trimmer waistline for your efforts.
Tags: betting, community, Diet, fitness, gambling, inspiration, money, nutrition
